Enrollment
743
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Summerville, SC
Lowcountry Connection Academy
Federal NCES profile for Lowcountry Connection Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450390901758Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 99
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lowcountry Connection Academy earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of South Carolina schools.
- #2 of 15
- schools in Summerville · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 46.4:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 49.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Lowcountry Connection Academy has class sizes larger than 99% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lowcountry Connection Academy ranks #2 of 15 schools in Summerville, SC.
School address
District: Charter Institute at Erskine · South Carolina
NCES ID 450390901758 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
46.4:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+224% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.4%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-33% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lowcountry Connection Academy compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lowcountry Connection Academy
Lowcountry Connection Academy is a mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Summerville, South Carolina, enrolling 743 students.
Class loads run heavy: 46.4:1 is larger than about 99% of South Carolina schools and 224% above the 14.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 49.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 743 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 169 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #49.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and African American (20%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 372 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 0.4% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Charter Institute at Erskine spends $6,927 per pupil, 52% below the South Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Summerville's public schools, it stands alongside Sand Hill Elementary (1,169 students): Lowcountry Connection Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (46.4:1 vs 18.6:1).
Charter Institute at Erskine also operates Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students) and Cyber Academy of South Carolina (3,280 students) alongside Lowcountry Connection Academy.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Lowcountry Connection Academy compares
Lowcountry Connection Academy on the metrics families compare, against South Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Carolina | South Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 46.4:1 | ▲ 224% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.4% | ▼ 33% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 743 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
46.4:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
743
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 33% below the South Carolina average of 74.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
46.4:1
students per teacher
- 224% above state mean
Top 99% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
0.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$6,927
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Carolina avg of $14,558
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 372 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 63.5%
African American 19.5%
Hispanic or Latino 8.6%
Two or More 7.4%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 63.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.6, Lowcountry Connection Academy is about as mixed as the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 5
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charter Institute at Erskine, which includes Lowcountry Connection Academy.
$6,927
Per student
-52%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-58%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.7%
State 85.8%
Federal 11.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Lowcountry Connection Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sc Connections Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cyber Academy of South Carolina | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Carolina Virtual Charter School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gray Collegiate Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mevers School of Excellence | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lowcountry Connection Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 6,152
- Students per teacher
- 27.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 3,280
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,180
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 772
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Summerville
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Sand Hill Elementary
Standard public school
1,169 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Cane Bay Elementary
Standard public school
1,161 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Beech Hill Elementary
Standard public school
1,079 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Nexton Elementary
Standard public school
944 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
William M. Reeves Elementary
Standard public school
930 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Newington Elementary
Standard public school
862 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of South Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~743 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lowcountry Connection Academy's federal record.
- Compare Lowcountry Connection Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Charter Institute at Erskine's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Lowcountry Connection Academy
How many students attend Lowcountry Connection Academy?
Lowcountry Connection Academy has 743 students enrolled. It is a public school in Summerville, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lowcountry Connection Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Lowcountry Connection Academy is 46.4:1, which is 224% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 196% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lowcountry Connection Academy?
49.4% of students at Lowcountry Connection Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lowcountry Connection Academy?
The largest demographic group at Lowcountry Connection Academy is White at 63.5% of enrollment, in Summerville, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lowcountry Connection Academy?
Lowcountry Connection Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Lowcountry Connection Academy rank among schools in Summerville?
By Resource Investment Index, Lowcountry Connection Academy ranks #2 of 15 schools in Summerville, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Summerville on the city page.
Is Lowcountry Connection Academy a good school?
Lowcountry Connection Academy earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of South Carolina schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Charter Institute at Erskine?
Besides Lowcountry Connection Academy, Charter Institute at Erskine also operates Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students), Cyber Academy of South Carolina (3,280 students), and South Carolina Virtual Charter School (2,180 students). See the Charter Institute at Erskine district page for the complete list.
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Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.